Search Results

Oil Resistant elastomers are used in a wide variety of applications for the retention of lubricant and/or the exclusion of contaminants. These elastomers are formulated to produce specific static and dynamic properties. However, at elevated temperatures, the lubricants that the elastomer components are designed to seal can cause long term property deterioration of the elastomer. This paper will focus on the effects of lubricants on seal elastomers with emphasis on base oil trends, specific additive effects, synthetic lubricants, and the combined effects of high temperature, lubricant and oxygen.

Contamination of sealed systems from the outside not only affects the performance and life of a sealed mechanism, but also that of the seal itself. Many dust and dirt exclusion systems have been offered by manufacturers, including various radial and axial auxiliary lips. The tests described in this paper investigate the effect of several auxiliary dirt lips on seal life in a dust environment. Since many of these designs provide interference to the shaft for both primary and secondary lips, the tests also examined vacuum formation between the lips and its effect on the seal.